Collectors West 4/26

[Roger65]

Anybody been to this show? Anything good? Looking for spare mags Kahr, Sig.

Read More

 

[drewp]

im thinking about going today...i usually buy something but never a smoking deal and if you want gougers they will be there selling 22lr ammo

 

[Bam]

Vendor prices aren't bargains to begin with and by the time you pay for parking and admission you could have bought twice as many mags online even with shipping costs.

 

[nastybynature]

Anymore, for the last 5 years anyway, I look at gun shows like going to the movies or even a carnival. Fun to go look around but not trying to spend money there as the value is usually not too great......

 

[Roger65]

Vendor prices aren't bargains to begin with and by the time you pay for parking and admission you could have bought twice as many mags online even with shipping costs.

Yeah, probably true. On the other hand last time I went to a show was 1991 so I might go just to kill some time on a rainy day

 

[Modeler]

The main reason to go is to fondle lots of different makes and models in anticipation of a purchase, or to purchase if you happen to find a gun you've been looking for. And look for parts for older guns, if those guys are at the show.

 

[The Heretic]

I've got to stay away; I just blew a big chunk of change on home improvements and more yet to come, so I am going to be relatively cash poor for the rest of the year until my wallet recovers from the damage.

 

[66PonyCar]

Went yesterday. $8 parking, $8 admission with Bimart card. Lots of ARs and AKs. NW Armory and Keith's had lots of modern handguns. Not much in the way of vintage stuff. There was ammo at fairly reasonable prices but little .22lr. Different tables had random bricks of .22lr which were probably picked up at Bimart or Walmart. If you took out all the non firearm related tables out then it would occupy about half the space. Didn't see any Beanie Babies so that was a plus. Went once around and left.

 

[tiggers97]

Went yesterday. $8 parking, $8 admission with Bimart card. Lots of ARs and AKs. NW Armory and Keith's had lots of modern handguns. Not much in the way of vintage stuff. There was ammo at fairly reasonable prices but little .22lr. Different tables had random bricks of .22lr which were probably picked up at Bimart or Walmart. If you took out all the non firearm related tables out then it would occupy about half the space. Didn't see any Beanie Babies so that was a plus. Went once around and left.

Thank you for the update.

 

[Steel Horse]

I've got a booth here today and although I'm offering the public a "buy 2" get 10% off of any target, NWFA members get 10% off even for just 1 target. And I'll give 5% off any dueling tree or hostage targets if ordered and payed for here at the show. Most of you know my AR500 plates are below average in price already, plus 10%off has to be a decent deal. At least something here is!

 

[mjbskwim]

Vendor prices aren't bargains to begin with and by the time you pay for parking and admission you could have bought twice as many mags online even with shipping costs.

So BAU as at any gun show lol

 

[Roger65]

So BAU as at any gun show lol

What a letdown. As far as firearms go, I feel like I paid $18 to go to Sportsman's Warehouse. Didn't see anything hard to find or unusual. Plus nobody takes Amex, and they charge the same as places that do. Won't be going to another one of those shows. Didn't even look at ammo, I can find that online.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Got a case of Winchester white box 9mm FMJ ammo there today. It wasn't real cheap but I'll swear it was the last case of, new manufacture 9mm in the place! I went specifically for the case of ammo so I didn't look around much, but lots of new guns and very few vintage.

 

[Xader]

I went to Collectors West in February, and good a pretty good deal on an M&P 9c.

Your best bet is to go near the end of the last day of the show with a pocket full of cash.

Green talks, and sellers are a bit more motivated to cut a deal on the last day so they don't have to pack it back home.

But one of the main reasons to go to a gun show is the opportunity to handle just about any model you may be interested in. Most storefronts have a fairly limited selection.

 

[Modeler]

Your best bet is to go near the end of the last day of the show with a pocket full of cash.

Truth. You can always get a better deal with cash. Unless you have a guy who upcharges for credit, of course....

 

[Trailboss]

I went because I needed a MagPul sling and a screw on sling attachment ring. Stopped at a dealer's table and found a sling, screw on sling attachment and a couple of other items. Dealer comes over and I hand him enough cash that I will get change back. He asks me if I'm planning to use the sling and screw on adapter on a Sig 556 forearm. I said no and he says that it won't work on any other gun and that I can't buy it. I told him I'm going to mount it on something else and that it'll work fine. He argues with me telling me that he's the dealer and he knows what will work and what won't. I asked him if he knew what I was going to use it for, he looks puzzled and replies "no I don't", I respond "then how can you tell me it won't work?" Dealer looks a bit foolish, then grabs the items out of my hand and puts them in a glass case and says you're not allowed to buy them.



I just started laughing at him. I really could not believe this was even happening. Then he says to me "if you explain to me what you're going to use them for, maybe I'll sell em to you." I smiled and explained how I was planning on using the screw on loop on my Sig 556 pistol rear and that I knew what I was doing just fine. He thinks for a minute and says "see, that wasn't so hard was it. Next time just tell me up front so I can decide." He pulls the items out from the glass case and hands them to me. I step back a bit and with a smile told him that he was insane and that I wouldn't buy his stuff if he was the last MagPul dealer in the world. I walked on down to the next table and bought my stuff, no problems at all.



It was worth the $8 entrance fee just to experience a moment in the Twilight Zone.

 

[bellarum]

Maybe he works for the government. They seem to know what's best!

 

[Roger65]

But one of the main reasons to go to a gun show is the opportunity to handle just about any model you may be interested in. Most storefronts have a fairly limited selection.

That is what disappointed me the most. I was hoping to see some higher end 1911's, but there was nothing there I hadn't seen already at Sportsmans Warehouse or Fishermans Marine. Except for some WW2 stuff which I can see anytime at TheGunRoom. I could spend an hour driving around town tomorrow and find every gun that was at that show. Actually a trip to Keith's would be about the same as attending that show, only about $20 cheaper.

Anyway, I was mostly just bored and curious, now I know I'm not missing anything. That knowledge cost me $18, so be it.

 

[Trailboss]

Years ago before members of the public were forced to go through the background check system to sell a firearm, lots of folks brought weapons to show and trade. Not so much anymore. This means that the dealers have the same old picked over stock as the last show. I figure I'll try to hit a show once every few years or so. More often then that and too little has changed.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

^^^ Rodger on that! Old gun shows were a giant trade fest! I picked up a lot of guns from private partys. I always gave a little personal background check. Look them in the eye for a while, does this person know what bathing and a toothbrush are for? Certainly not infallible but then it was still perfectly legal and I didn't have to care at all.

I still enjoy a gun show. People watching is a hoot there! Better than a movie. Always find something in the accessory catagory or a new (to me) gun at a good price.
BTW I checked out the case of Winchester 9mm that I posted about above and I found nothing on the net that was even close to the price I paid! On line was much more expensive ($20-$30) and shipping was packing it out to the truck.